


Pearl Kisses

by QueenofStarChildren



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Discrimination, Gem War, Homeworld - Freeform, Lars head, Missing Scene, Rebellion, The Trial, dewey wins, hovering parents, kiss, momma bird, safe at home
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-30
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-02-10 05:08:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,596
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18653527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenofStarChildren/pseuds/QueenofStarChildren
Summary: A series of works dedicated to Pearl and the kisses she gives.Ch.1/Steven: A missing scene of sorts after the events of Lars’ Head and set during the beginning of Dewey Wins.Steven makes it home, and all the gems are relieved beyond words. Greg and Pearl share a moment watching their son sleep.Ch.2/Garnet: part 1/2. Pearl and Garnet don't quite understand each other yet. Pre-series.





	1. Steven

The house was silent; so quiet that no one would be able to tell how much chaos had transpired a few short hours ago when Steven had seemingly appeared out of thin air — telling a terrifying tale of escape, robinoid attacks, and revival. It was a long time of hugging, and crying, and hugging while crying before Steven finally revealed how he’d managed to come back from Homeworld unscathed.

 

That was a very complicated story that was too long to completely recount for tonight, though — Steven had grown hungry, and the way his shoulders slumped and his eyes drooped did not evade the others worried eyes, even when he tried squelching the yawns that became more frequent as time passed. Eventually, the group urged him to bed after a large serving of microwaved week-old pizza (he missed warm food!), promising him they could wait for the rest of the details in the morning. He walked Connie out, then assured them he couldn’t sleep ( _ really guys, I don’t think I could if I tried _ ), stating what transpired on Homeworld had messed with his head. But after  _ finally _ laying down, there wasn’t a second between when his head hit the pillow and when he started snoring.

 

Pearl left the other two gems on the couch and walked up to his loft a few hours later. Greg was sat at the side of Stevens mattress, head resting in his arms on the top of it. He had been watching him sleep. Pearl felt like she should be smiling at that; after all, it was what she had done for years until he’d asked her not to (she couldn’t help but pass by every so often after that).

 

She checked Steven, still out cold, but still there — with them, and not in space. Not on Homeworld. She was not mistaking herself, Homeworld was indeed beautiful if you knew where to look, under all of its faults (and there were many) — but Homeworld was not a place for war criminals. Could never be a place for Steven. Would never be a place for Pearl.

 

_ If we lose, we’ll be killed, and if we win, we can never go home. _

 

Yes, this was true. Even if Steven was not Rose, and even if Rose had died years ago — he could not see Homeworld in the way she had hoped.

 

Pearl sat down quietly next to Greg, surprised when he shifted his head and arms so he was no longer leaning on the bed. She had mistaken him to be asleep. When he didn’t say anything, she slid her arm over the coverlet until she reached a lump, and paused, worrying her thumb over what must have been Stevens ankle. Greg reached a hand to Stevens shoulder and repeated her motion twice.

 

“I know. I can’t believe it either…” he trailed off for a moment, thinking, “we’ve never come this close to losing him have we?” Pearl nodded.

 

Of course there’d been other incidents’ where Stevens almost died — the Red Eye attacking Beach City, Lapis Lazuli almost drowning him, Jasper taking them prisoner — but those were all things Greg knew about. There were still many he didn’t — his accelerated aging, Sardonyx accidentally knocking him into space, and many many more he did not, and would probably never hear about. And against her better judgement, a great deal of the time had been because of her. The thought filled her with shame, even though she had promised to do better.

 

All of those times had been short. Steven had been with someone for most of them, or else they knew where to find him. But knowing he was on Homeworld, alone, and with no way to rescue him? It made Pearl quesy; worse, even, than when she had thought about eating food. She, more than anyone, dreaded what would happen to him because of his mother’s mistakes.

 

She was the only one that might have prevented it, even before Aquamarine arrived in her ship. If she could have just told him.

 

Pearl didn’t even realize she had been crying until she felt Greg’s hand touch her back, her left hand stuck to her mouth. Trying to stop the tears only made her hand clasp tighter and her shoulders jump in silent sobs.

 

“I tried…” she forced the words out, but was sure he couldn’t understand them and resigned to hiding her face in the side of the bed.

 

He rubbed gentle circles as she wept, if it were just a few months earlier she might have snapped at him. “We did everything we could.” His voice was wet, he was starting to cry too.

 

But  _ she didn’t _ do everything. Pearl knew the order couldn’t be broken, so why did she feel like there was something more she could have done?

 

“...he’s safe now,” Pearl couldn’t tell if he was trying to reassure her or himself. Perhaps both. Either way, it needed to be said.

 

Steven moved in his sleep. She looked up, noticing Greg did too. To their relief it seemed to be in reaction to their talking and not to nightmares, for his face remained relaxed, at peace.

 

Greg sighed, “I think we should let him rest for a bit.” She gave a nod, not trusting her hand to move away long enough for words. He stood, adjusted Stevens covers, and whispered a goodnight before heading off to his van, parked just outside. She doubted he would be getting any sleep.

 

She stayed with him for a bit, moving to sit on the side of the mattress and brushing his hair with her right hand.

 

_ He’s home. He’s there. He’s alive. _

 

She stood, moving her hand away from her mouth slowly as not to aggravate it all over again. Then, she bent over and pressed her lips to his forehead.

 

_ He’s safe. _

 

Someway, somehow, she’d tell him. She’d tell him everything.


	2. Garnet Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It takes being alone together four times before Pearl and Garnet discover that they can overcome Homeworld prejudices. By the end, they understand a little more about each other. Set pre-show during the early days of the Gem War. Part one of two.

The new fusion was a curious thing. They were two Homeworld gems fused into one. They had run off together, Pearl and Pink Diamond had found out later that night. Pink wanted to trust them, but Pearl wasn’t so sure.

 

She always had a problem of giving things the benefit of the doubt; it’s why Pearl had to be overly cautious with everything concerning her Diamond and the colony. Even if she honored her Diamonds wishes to welcome the fusion into the Crystal Gems (which until that point had consisted only of the Renegade Pearl and Rose Quartz), Pearl couldn’t help but to be on edge.

 

Even now, sitting across from them at the fire, Pearl was finding it hard to join in on the conversation. It’s not that she wanted the gems to feel rejected by her, Pearl would put on a polite smile and nod along with ‘Rose’, but it didn’t feel right to divulge information about themselves or their so called rebellion (of which her Diamond was keeping her tongue in favor of a more general, mostly made up story, much to Pearls surprise).

 

The fusion was finishing up their story about who they were (a Sapphire and her Ruby guard, belonging to Blue Diamonds court, on a mission to share Sapphires predictions with their Diamond), and how they had felt before fusing and finding refuge on Earth together. Pearl found it odd that neither gem knew a thing about this colony before jumping right into it. She’d have to bring that up with her Diamond later, perhaps when they were on the moon base (something else they’d have to figure out now that these gems thought they were  _ Earth _ rebels). They had  _ a lot  _ to figure out.

 

“Wow! That’s  _ a-mazing!  _ Isn’t it Pearl?” She looked up, suddenly aware she had lost track of the conversation because she had been thinking without being ordered to.  _ Again. _

 

“Uh, y-yes my —ah, Quartz.”

 

“I found the most magnificent plant! I can show it to you, it’ll only take a minute to get it,” she stood up to leave and Pearl stood too.

 

“Oh Pearl, sit down,” her body obeyed, “just a minute!”

 

And then they were alone. She must have missed more than she realized because, although Pink liked to jump to different topics at breakneck speeds, she wouldn’t have brought up Earth beauty without being prompted (it had gotten her into so much trouble with the other Diamonds that she learned to avoid the topic).

 

Pearl’s eyes lingered in the direction that ‘Rose’ left in, too dark and forest too dense to see if she was alright. A nagging feeling made her look to the fusion; they were staring at her. She averted her gaze to the fire, fingers curling in her lap.

 

“Who did you belong to?” She snapped her head up.

 

“ _ What?”  _ It was the fusions turn to avert their gaze, and Pearl could see their face flushing.

 

“I-I don’t, we weren’t trying — I didn’t mean to be disrespectful. I just…” Pearl found this amusing; here was this big intimidating fusion, and  _ they _ were scared of  _ her _ , “...Pearls don't usually belong to soldiers...we were just…thinking…”

 

Pearl didn’t want to think. But was this fusion one to take orders from? A Sapphire, yes. A Ruby? Definitely not. Although her Diamond did seem to like it when she was thinking…

 

She opened her mouth to reply when a crash sounded to her right. She wasn’t able to stand yet (5 more seconds and it would be a minute since her Diamond told her to sit down), but reached to grab her sword.

 

“A little help,” It was her Diamond. Pearl relaxed and went to assist.

 

When she had said “ _ plant” _ , Pearl assumed it was a flower she had meant, she seemed to be quite fond of those. However, she quickly realized that  _ plant  _ meant many many flowers, as she had retrieved a 15 foot flowering tree.

 

“Oh my,  _ how in the galaxy _ …” a goofy laugh escaped the Rose Quartz lips and Pearl couldn’t help but smile.

  
  


* * *

 

  
  


It was a while after, when they had managed to recruit a few more gems (a bismuth, several agates, and two quartz’s), that she was left alone with the fusion for a second time.

 

This occasion they had had a chance to train together beforehand (with the help of Rose). They were very powerful, such as a normal fusion was, but had trouble with coordination and confidence. It might have been the contradicting roles of both gems, or the fact that Ruby was frustratingly careful with Sapphire, but Pearl and the rebellion could really use the fusion to their advantage.

 

Scouting alone through the woods, with the fusion on her heels was stressful enough; but having her Diam—Quartz, having ‘Rose’ alone with a bunch of soldiers they’d only just met 30 earth rotations ago was terrifying, even if she trusted Bismuth to keep her safe (if anyone’s gonna mess with Rose, they’re gonna have to  _ Bis-meth _ with me first!).

 

It didn’t mean she still didn’t worry.

 

“Hey, Pearl?” Garnet (as they had called themselves) piped up behind her after they had crouched behind a tree to listen for enemies.

 

“ _ Sshhh _ ,” She peeked her head around said tree, wanting to make sure the coast was clear.

 

Nothing there. They could continue walking.

 

“ _ Uh...Pearl?”  _ This time Garnet was much quieter.

 

“ _ Yes?” _

 

_ “Do you...trust them? The soldiers we left with Rose?” _

 

No. No she didn’t. They were thinking the same thing she was, worrying about Rose, hoping the others weren’t going to turn against the rebellion.

 

“ _ I trust Bismuth.” _

 

They fell quiet. Pearl knew she didn’t exactly answer the fusions question, but she didn’t necessarily  _ want  _ to either. Saying it out loud would make her stomach twist even more. Already she was wanting to turn back.

 

“...if something happens to Rose, the rebellion would fall apart. If Homeworld came, we’d be captured. They’d make me split and they’d shatter Ruby. Then they’d recondition you and Sapphire if we’re lucky,” Garnet thought out loud.

 

Pearl would not be lucky if that were true. She’d rather be shattered.

 

“But if we both escaped,” Garnet began, “then we wouldn’t have anywhere to go. We’d just be wondering Earth forever...could I stay together without Rose?” Pearl didn’t know how to respond to that.

 

“And you. What would you do without her? I like you like this, I don’t want you to follow me acting like a normal Pearl, I wouldn’t know how to get you back to where you are now!”

 

“ _ Excuse me?”  _ Pearl said through gritted teeth. Garnet’s eyes widened in surprise.

 

“I—I...”

 

“I don’t appreciate being talked about like I’m an object.  _ No one,  _ makes me who I am.” This had been the second time she'd caught them making a demeaning statement to her face. The first time she let slip because they didn't know any better. How could they? But she wasn't about to let them get away with it a second time, not after all the time they'd spent seeing her be her own gem.

 

“I thought—,” then her face changed from scared to something Pearl couldn’t quite place, “Don’t you belong to Rose?”

 

“ _ I—,”  _ she snapped. Oh stars, how to word this correctly? “The Crystal Gems,” she started carefully, “are fighting for freedom. I belong to... _ nothing _ ...but the rebellion.” After all she didn’t belong to some _ thing _ , she belonged to some _ body _ , and her Diamond didn’t like to use the word ‘belong’.

 

Garnet fiddled with the end of her shirt, “but...you call her ‘my Quartz’.” Pearl turned and started walking again.

 

“Sometimes it’s difficult remembering that I’m free. Come on.”

 

 

* * *

 

 

Pearl wasn’t sure what set her off. First she was talking to Rose before she left, and when she turned around Garnet was fuming. Literally, smoke was coming off her hands.

 

“What?”

 

“I’m a gem.” They said it like they were accusing her of something.

 

“I didn’t say you weren’t.”

 

Garnet shook her head, “no. You keep referring to me as ‘they’, I’m not ‘they’ I’m  _ she.” _

 

“What?” This was new.

 

“You don’t understand,” they—she growled, “I’m Garnet. I’m choosing to be Garnet. I’m not a Ruby or a Sapphire or  _ just  _ a fusion; I’m a gem, I’m Garnet!”

 

She’d never seen this side of the fusio—gem before. 

 

“I didn’t know.”

 

Garnet sat heavily on the sky arena floor, “everyone keeps saying that I’m Offcolor, or that Sapphire and Ruby,” she looked at each of her gems in turn, “are cracked...that I’m...nothing but a ‘war machine’ for the rebellion.”

 

So that’s what this was coming from. She was frustrated with everyone seeing her as something she wasn’t. And Pearl was one of them…

 

Pearl stepped closer and sat down next to  _ her, _ touching a hand to her arm.

 

“You don’t understand,” she repeated quietly.

 

But she did understand. To feel left out and told what you are. To be treated like dirt. To be so angry at Homeworld and gems and the universe. She understood those aspects quite well, but being a gem born of two different cuts of gems...

 

All this time Pearl had only been thinking of herself. She had gotten so frustrated with Garnet for still harboring Homeworld beliefs about Pearls and here she was doing the same about fusions. How hypocritical of her. 

 

“Help me understand, I want to understand. Fusion, between two different gems, is so new and...wonderful,” she took her hand, “I don’t want you to feel alone about this anymore.

 

“Because you aren’t.”

  
  


Garnet lifted her eyes to meet Pearl’s.

 

“You really mean it?”

 

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Opening your mind when you've been taught one way for so long can be difficult. This is especially true when the way you've been taught is hate. I hope I wrote this okay so far; Pearl is a metaphor for how women/slaves were/can be treated, and Garnet is a metaphor for being transgender/agender (which hopefully I didn't completely botch, as the only experience I have is what others have said online). We're both screwed over in more ways than one, but that doesn't always mean we know or understand each other.  
> In other news, I'm so sorry it took this long to update. Garnets chapter got a little out of hand and has turned into a full length fic so I've had to shorten it to a chapter (or two) for Pearl Kisses. The reason it took so long and I'm splitting it is that life has gotten really busy between a wedding, family, and personal health and I don't know when I'll be able to finish the whole thing, I figure I'll post the first part now so you won't have to wait as long to read more. I will expand and post this story sometime in the future. I'm also planning a few other Pearl-centric stories that I'm excited about, though they are still in the beginning stages.  
> As always, thank you for reading and I hope you have a great day!


End file.
